Republicans try to woo Soeharto

Republicans try to woo Soeharto

JAKARTA: The Republican Party, which accommodates people from any religious, ethnic and cultural background, is trying to woo former president Soeharto and his relatives to prove that it is an "open party".

"Our doors are wide open for the 'Cendana family'," party chairman Syarifuddin Harahap said here Friday responding to allegations that the party is financed by the Soehartos.

"Cendana family" refers to Soeharto and his relatives, who all live in the neighborhood of Jl. Cendana, Central Jakarta.

Syarifuddin said none of the Cendana family members have been registered as party members.

He criticized reformists who, he said, mean to restart the political system by putting the state ideology Pancasila at stake and allow Marxism to flourish.

"The reform movement poses a threat to the nation's integrity," he told Antara. "There are people who even want to see a social revolution happen in Indonesia."

The party warned about the danger of money politics that some political parties have allegedly been doing.